


In Your Eyes

by Ahowriter (4uKiSS)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Baby!Eren, Crack, Fluff, Kitsune!Eren, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Possessive Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Protective Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Supernatural Elements, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, papa!levi, vampire!levi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-21
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-02 17:05:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5256539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4uKiSS/pseuds/Ahowriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi pushes through a shrub, causing more snow to fall at his feet. The crying is getting louder now, which could only mean that Levi is getting closer. He hears shuffling ahead of him and he frowns, striding towards the little clearing surrounded by old, weathered trees and stops short.</p><p>His eyes widening a fraction as his gaze beholds probably one of the most beautiful little creatures he has ever seen in his lifetime. </p><p>In which Levi is sure that he isn't cut out for all this parenting crap, but in the ten centuries that he lived his life, he's sure that nothing managed to melt his heart until now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, go ahead and shoot me. I should learn my lesson for releasing yet another new work when I have two others as well. How am I supposed to juggle three works of entirely different genres? Beats me. Well, I cannot resist - I've been reading a lot of papa!Levi fics lately and that inspired me to write my own version of it. And credits to the beautiful anime movie Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki, which contributed to this fic's supernatural elements ^^

 

The rhythmic, soft _thud thud thud_ of falling snow gently blankets the cold, hard ground, the pure, untouched white cradling the weathered earth, giving the world a new, unsullied, wholesome picture that could likely be found at the back of a laminated postcard. It is cold but quiet, the wee hours of the morning – no one can be found wandering around the mountainous terrain except for one lone figure, the black of his ensemble a stark contrast against the pure white of the snowy landscape.

Levi’s boot sinks ankle-deep into the snow, breath coming out in visible mist from his lips, eyebrows drawn together as he trudges through the thick snow, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. The forest around him is still, but the faint hum of activity reaches his ears – it’s not surprising that the first snowfall of winter is stirring the forest’s inhabitants, both wild and mythical beings. Levi, being one of the creatures himself, finds the cold not troubling at all, but soothing. Finally it is the season whose temperature matches with his skin.

Levi is nearing the end of the forest when a faint sound breaches his eardrums and he pauses his steps, tilting his head in the direction of the aforementioned sound. Levi has heard a variety of sounds in this forest in his lifetime, but this particular sound is not what one would expect, especially in the depths of woodland. Levi frowns, listening keenly. He’s sure that he hasn’t mistaken it – his hearing is superior, and he isn’t that old yet for him to start hearing things. After all, Erwin is a few centuries older than he is and the old bastard could hear him coming from a mile away.

There’s a few heartbeats of silence, before it starts again, and this time Levi has distinguished the sound.

_A crying infant._

Levi strides towards the sound, his cloak billowing out behind him. He is determined to find the source of the sound. He can’t be fooling himself. It certainly sounds like an infant crying – goodness knows how many times Levi has heard the same sound from Petra’s own monsters she harbours in her nursery whenever he visits her – and he’s willing to bet that the sound he has been hearing _is_ a crying baby. But that doesn’t make sense. How could a baby be in this forest? Levi lives in one of the most secluded areas of the world, preferring his solitude. The closest human-populated area is about eighty miles northwest from here. There aren’t any roads paved to lead to the mountains, nor has anyone braved the trip up here. Why would they? It’s all jagged rocks and treacherous terrains and violent, unforgiving weathers, plus a host to the world’s most dangerous creatures. Levi is the only living being in this area, given the occasional passer from his kind. So what would a _baby_ be doing here of all things?

Levi pushes through a shrub, causing more snow to fall at his feet. The crying is getting louder now, which could only mean that Levi is getting closer. He hears shuffling ahead of him and he frowns, striding towards the little clearing surrounded by old, weathered trees and stops short.

A giant were is sniffing a tiny, wrapped bundle on the ground, where the crying is undoubtedly coming from. The wolf is massive, all heavy muscle and black fur, and yet it’s gently nudging its muzzle against the crying infant, probably an attempt to comfort. The trees around them seem to whisper as the infant’s crying fail to cease, and Levi spans a quick glance around the clearing before stepping forward, the wolf looking up and meeting his eyes, a huff leaving the giant were’s snout.

Levi acknowledges the were, who obligingly steps aside as Levi squats down, his eyes widening a fraction as his gaze beholds probably one of the most beautiful little creatures he has ever seen in his lifetime. The child couldn’t be more than seven months old, with perfect bowed lips the colour of a budding rosebud. The almost feminine arch of his tapered eyes are a host to a pair of irises that are a stunning gilded gold, flecked with bronze and ringed with a lush black, holding an infinite sparkle parallel to a precious stone. The child also appears to have a head of thick, lush mahogany hair, where little flecks of snow seem to settle on the soft locks. Cursing, Levi immediately reaches out and gently lifts the beautiful infant from the snow – he had been so distracted by the child’s beauty that he completely forgot that the tiny little thing is probably freezing.

As Levi cradles the child close to his chest, the child stops crying, wide, gilded eyes wet with tears staring curiously up at Levi. Levi coos, gently rocking the tiny infant whilst he unfastens his cloak, wrapping it around the child to conserve warmth. A tiny hand reaches for Levi’s face, Levi complying with the child’s demand and leaning down slightly to let the pretty child touch his face. Those heart-achingly beautiful aureate eyes widen in wonder as they stare unblinkingly at Levi, then a melodic laugh escapes the infant’s lips and Levi’s heart stutters to a stop. There is a precious smile on the beautiful child’s lips, a happy sparkle in his eyes as he looks at Levi, and Levi feels his heart melt.

There never had been anyone who had looked at him with such pure, unbridled joy and love before.

“You, are you trying to kill me?” he mutters, lips twitching in a smile as the child laughs again at the sound of his voice, tiny hands touching Levi’s face. Levi cradles the child close to him, stroking back the soft, russet hair. He startles when he feels something nudge against his thigh, and he looks down to see the giant were looking up at him inquiringly. Levi nods and allows the connection – the deep, feral sound of the were’s rumble echoing in his brain, to which Levi translates into his own language and his brows furrow.

“Eren?” he says aloud, and the child in his arms squeals in delight. The wolf rumbles again, before stepping away from the duo, casting a lingering look at the beautiful child in Levi’s arms before slinking away between the trees.

_The new-born’s name. Eren._

“Wait!” Levi calls, and the wolf stops, looking back at him over a massive shoulder. “Do you know this child? Where did he come from?”

_I do not know the new-born. The heavens bestowed the name._

The giant were disappears between the trees, the echo of his rumble resonating within Levi’s mind.

_The new-born is one of our kind. He is not human._

*

The moment Levi reaches his manor, he hastens towards his bedroom. Eren is quiet in his arms, still wrapped in Levi’s cloak, eyes staring contentedly at Levi as the man shoulders open the door. His eyes fall on his phone which he left on the table next to his bed. He picks it up and goes straight to speed-dial – he can’t afford to waste time, and he is very much out of his element at the moment.

His call is picked up by the fourth ring and he is greeted with a shrill voice in his ear.

“Levi! My grumpy little elf, what has gone wrong in your life that you felt the need to grace me with a phone call after a decade?” Hange sings and Levi rolls his eyes.

“Listen, you shitty four-eyes. I need your help, I have no idea what to do right now.”

“What’s wrong Levi? What happened?” Hange’s voice turns serious once she detects the urgency in Levi’s voice.

“I found a baby in the forest and I brought him home with me. What am I supposed to do with him? He’s cold – I wrapped him up in my cloak, but I’m not sure if I should put him in a warm bath. Can babies go into water?”

There is silence at the other end, and Levi taps his foot impatiently. He steals a glance at Eren, who is currently keeping himself entertained by pulling a stray wool on Levi’s cloak, and Levi smiles. _Cute._

“You found a baby? In the forest? Levi, are you sure you’re not fucking with me right now?” Hange’s voice is disbelieving and Levi can’t blame her one bit – but he needs to keep Eren warm, less the child catch a cold or worse still, pneumonia.

“Shit glasses, I’m fucking serious right now. I’ll tell you all the details later okay? Just tell me what to do!” Levi snaps, and his loud voice causes Eren to whimper slightly, and Levi quickly shushes the little child, rocking him gently in his arms.

“Okay, okay. Technically, yes you can bathe a baby, Levi. Fill your bathtub with warm water – not too hot mind you – and let the water level be at least until your wrist. Don’t scrub him – he’s still a baby, and his skin is quite sensitive, you might break his skin. Just douse him with warm water until he’s warm then get him out and dry him off. Bundle him up in the warmest clothes you have.” Hange pauses. “You don’t happen to have milk in your house do you Levi?”

Levi freezes. _Shit._ “Fuck, what am I going to feed him, Hange? I can’t starve him! I don’t know how long the poor thing’s been abandoned in the snow!” Eren, sensing Levi’s distress, starts to sniffle, and Levi quickly rocks the child against him, cooing at him in order to calm him down.

“Levi, Levi calm down. I’ll come by in the afternoon with supplies for the baby. For now, you need to feed the baby something soft and easy to digest. I have to check up on him once I come by, but for now I’m going to assume that you can’t feed the baby solids, at least for a while. Something mashed or pureed will do. Do you have potatoes Levi?”

“I’m going to the kitchen to check right now.” Levi strides towards his kitchen, putting the phone on the counter and balancing Eren with one arm as he goes through the shelves. Levi rarely needs to eat human food, so his pantry is often empty. He’s starting to panic again when his eyes fall on a small sack of potatoes in the corner – he snatches it and brings it to his nose to detect if the potatoes are spoiled. He exhales in relief and picks up the phone. “Yeah, I have some potatoes and they’re still good. Must have been Petra who stuffed them in my cabinet when she came by a few weeks ago.”

“Okay, good. I assume you know how to make mashed potatoes, right Levi?” Hange chuckles when Levi snorts at her derisively. “Just make sure it’s soft and don’t put too much salt or pepper in there. Just something mild will do. If he’s thirsty just give him water to drink. I’ll come by as soon as I can with baby supplies, so if there’s any problems, just give me a ring and I’ll try my best to help you.” Hange pauses again. “Or you can call Petra – she handles a nursery during the day, so she probably knows more about this than I do.”

“Will do, Hange. Thanks,” Levi says gratefully, feeling not so panicked now that he knows what to do. He hears the mad woman chuckle and call a cheery _see you later!_ before he hangs up and looks down at Eren, who has to be the best-behaved baby Levi has ever seen in his life, tiny hands clutching at Levi’s cloak, a dimpled smile on his lips as he stares up at Levi.

“Well, squirt, time to get you into that warm bath, eh?” he teases, poking Eren’s cheek and receiving a delighted giggle in return.

*

Eren’s first bath is uneventful – granted, the baby seemed a bit apprehensive when Levi lowered him into the bathtub, tiny hands clutching at Levi’s arms, eyes looking at him in fear, but Levi makes soothing noises all the while, never quite letting go of the child as Eren sits in the bathtub, warm water reaching his tummy until he gets used to it. He eventually does, splashing at the water and making happy little sounds, whilst Levi proceeds to use a small bowl to scoop up water to gently douse it on Eren’s hair and body. Hange didn’t say anything about soap and shampoo, so Levi uses a tiny amount of his own shampoo on Eren’s hair, gently washing and massaging the baby’s scalp, Eren playing with the bubbles happily. Levi uses his body shampoo to soap up Eren’s body too, Eren squealing in delight at the little bubbles that float away from him, making Levi chuckle.

Once Eren is rinsed and dried, Levi carries the little child into his room, putting Eren down gently on his bed whilst he goes to his wardrobe to find some clothes for the boy. Eren watches him curiously from the bed, slightly displeased being so far from Levi but slightly appeased at the fact that he can still see him. Levi decides on a cotton sweater that is three sizes too small for him and a pair of pants and socks. Levi slips the sweater over Eren’s head, helping the giggling infant to push his short arms through the sleeves. Levi steps back and chuckles – the sweater is too big on Eren, the sleeves falling way past his short arms and the hem of the sweater falling past his knees. He slips on the pants anyway and takes Eren’s tiny foot in his hand, putting on the socks, unable to resist pressing a kiss onto the tiny, adorable socked feet. Eren coos happily and Levi smiles, picking him up and cradling him in his arms.

“Let’s get some food, alright?” he says, smiling as Eren giggles and touches his cheek. He’s warm now, a fact that Levi is extremely happy about. He carries the infant into the kitchen, where he had left the potatoes in the pot on the stove to boil. He frowns slightly – he doesn’t have a baby chair for Eren, and the ornate wood chairs around his kitchen table are too dangerous to put Eren on since the infant could roll right off and fall onto the floor.

“Eren, stay here and be good, okay?” Levi carefully puts down the baby on top of the polished countertop, well away from the stove. The surfaces are clean – as expected – and free of any clutter. Levi doesn’t leave things lying about, and he doesn’t want to risk Eren hurting himself with sharp objects. Eren tears up slightly when Levi moves away, whining in protest and Levi immediately comes back before Eren starts to cry, putting a gentle hand on Eren’s hair.  

“Eren, it’s okay, I have to make food for you so you won’t be hungry, okay?” Levi coaxes, but Eren only sniffles and shakes his head, tiny hand clutching at Levi’s sleeve with surprising strength. He obviously doesn’t favour the thought of Levi leaving him, even though they are still in the same room together. Levi sighs, trying to think of a solution. He can’t very well carry Eren and prepare his food at the same time. His eyes wander around the kitchen, trying to look for a distraction. He spies an oven mitt he left lying by the stove when he put the potatoes to boil earlier and he grabs it, flaunting it before Eren’s curious eyes.

“Here, Eren, this is an oven mitt, okay? You use it when you touch hot things. You can play with it while I go over there and prepare you some food, okay?” Eren blinks up at Levi, listening intently. Levi smiles a little and nudges the oven mitt gently against Eren’s face, making the toddler giggle. Eren’s tiny hands catch hold of the oven mitt, a surprised little sound leaving his lips when he is almost unable to lift it up when Levi lets go. Levi chuckles, patting Eren’s head before moving away to start mashing the potatoes. “Just sit there and play, okay Eren? Good boy.”

Levi keeps one eye on Eren and another on the bowl where he’s currently mashing the potatoes. Eren is surprisingly keeping himself entertained with the oven mitt, most of it resting on his lap whilst he plays with the thumb, pulling at it and squeezing it, making happy little baby noises all the time. Levi can’t resist smiling – Eren is simply too cute, and he resolves to buy Eren toys the next chance he has.

The mashed potatoes are soft and fluffy by now, and Levi adds a tiny sprinkling of salt and pepper for a little flavour before he scoops it into a small bowl for Eren. He tastes a little – it’s a bit bland, but Hange did say not to add too much strong flavours, so Levi supposes it will do until Hange arrives with baby supplies. He puts the used bowl into the sink and the smaller bowl onto the table before washing his hands and drying it off, going over to where Eren is still playing with the oven mitt.

“Having fun, aren’t you, squirt?” Levi teases, smiling when Eren looks up at him with wide sparkling eyes, a delighted giggle escaping his lips at the sight of Levi. He immediately drops the mitt, tiny hands reaching up in a silent plead to be picked up, and Levi obliges, lifting the tiny child and cradling him in his arms. Eren snuggles against him happily, tiny arms linking tightly around Levi’s neck. Eren is so nice and warm in his arms, so soft and tiny and he smells so nice that Levi can’t help but bury his face into Eren’s hair and planting a kiss onto his scalp. Eren squirms and gurgles happily in Levi’s arms, bouncing a little in excitement in reaction to Levi’s kiss and Levi chuckles.

“Settle down, squirt, or you’re going to fall.” He walks towards the table, pulling out a chair and sitting down, setting Eren on his lap. “Okay, Eren, time to eat, alright?” Levi scoops up a small spoonful of mashed potato, lifting it to Eren’s lips, who stares at it curiously. “It’s mashed potato, Eren. I promise it tastes okay, so eat a little alright?” Levi nudges the spoon against Eren’s lips – unsure, the toddler turns his head away, burying it instead in Levi’s chest.

Levi frowns. “You have to eat, Eren.” He nudges the little child, who stubbornly keeps his face hidden in Levi’s chest. Levi sighs, placing the spoon back into the bowl. “Oi, Eren.” He gently pokes the toddler’s side – Eren jolts a little and looks up at Levi, blinking. Levi fixes him with a stern look. “You _have_ to eat some, alright Eren? I’m sorry that this is all I have for you, but I’ll pick up supplies as soon as I can, okay? For now, you need to fill your stomach with something. Now eat please?” He takes Eren’s tiny hand in his, kissing the small palm. “For Levi?” he presses, smiling against Eren’s hand as the toddler squeals happily, a little blush on his cheeks. “Good boy.”

Levi lifts the small spoonful against Eren’s lips once more – this time the tiny child hesitates for a moment before opening his mouth, accepting the spoonful of mashed potato offered to him. Levi rejoices silently, watching closely as Eren chews, looking for any signs of dislike or choking. Eren swallows it easily enough, mouth opening for more, and Levi chuckles.

“Not bad huh squirt?” Levi scoops up another spoonful as Eren gurgles happily in his lap. “Let’s finish this bowl and get you to bed, alright?” Eren emits another indistinguishable baby sound, to which Levi supposes is an _okay_ and he resumes feeding the small child until only the slightest traces of mashed potato are left in the bowl. “Now that’s a good boy, Eren, I’m so proud of you,” Levi compliments, smiling at the angelic little child in his lap. He puts his hands underneath Eren’s arms and lifts him up, cradling him against his chest with one arm supporting his plump bottom and the other around Eren’s back. “Let’s get you to bed now, okay?”

Eren gurgles, tiny hand patting Levi’s cheek as Levi carries him into the bedroom. Ideally, Levi would love to brush Eren’s teeth after the meal, but since he only has adult toothbrushes which he deems the bristles are too rough on Eren’s gums, he opts not to, drawing back the covers on his bed and placing Eren gently onto the bed. Eren squeals happily, tiny hands patting and hitting the mattress, apparently amazed at the softness. Levi chuckles, sliding into bed next to him, drawing the blankets up to cover them both.

“Time to sleep, Eren,” he murmurs, pulling the child closer, Eren complying eagerly, snuggling against Levi, one hand curled around the front of Levi’s shirt and the other placed strategically in his mouth. Levi hums to him softly, a hand gently patting Eren’s back, coaxing the little child to sleep. Eren soon does, heavy eyes falling shut and breath evening out, and Levi lies still, admiring how adorable and angelic Eren looks whilst sleeping. It’s been a few hours since he retrieved Eren from the snow, but even Levi can see that he’s getting rapidly attached to the little infant – to hell is he letting Eren out of his sight now. Eren is just too precious, too pure and innocent, and Levi has an overwhelming desire to keep him from the world, to keep him safe from all the evil and harm that could hurt the little child. Hange would be coming in a while, but for now, Levi is content to just lie there in bed, watching his precious little Eren sleep.

 

 


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hange makes an appearance and Levi has a resolution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys.. just.. Wow. Damn. I am really honest when I say that I never expected this work to get so much love. Every time I get a notification from the kudos or comments that I get, it's like a little piece of my heart melted. And 97 kudos, for the first chapter? Oh god. Are you guys angels? Damn I love you. C'mere and lemme give you some lovin'.
> 
> Well I resolved to put out a chapter before 2015 ends as a thank you for all the love this got, but I still have to say sorry for quite a long wait for those who read and subscribed to this early, but I am the type of writer who writes only when I have inspiration to do so, and it never comes regularly. So this is actually quite a miracle of me updating, but really, it's all you guys. Alright, enough sappy shit, go on ahead and indulge!

 

It is late afternoon when Levi’s ears pick up the sound of approaching footfalls travelling at 100 miles per hour in the direction of his manor, and he carefully extracts himself from Eren’s grip, trying not to wake the sleeping toddler. Levi slips away easily enough and Eren hardly stirs as Levi spares the small child a cautionary glance before he leaves the room, hastening his steps towards the front door to open it before the mad woman goes on a knocking spree, not wanting her to wake Eren who is sleeping soundly. He opens the door just as Hange appears at the porch, hair wild and windblown and sporting a huge grin, arms laden with several bags.

“Leeeevi my grumpy munchkin, I haven’t seen you in a decade!” she sang, throwing her arms around him despite his dirty look. Levi shoves her off with a _tch_. “This is why I don’t invite you over in ten years, Hange.” Levi shuts the door behind her as she sidesteps him, throwing her arms out in flourish, the shopping bags’ contents teetering dangerously. “Where’s the baby that captured your cold lonely heart Levi? I demand to know!”

“Shut up, shitty glasses, he’s asleep.” Levi drags her into the kitchen, Hange following with a sulk. “Aww, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of him,” she complains as she set the bags onto the table. Levi leans against the kitchen counter, arms folded across his chest. “When he wakes up,” Levi says with a steel firmness in his tone when he catches Hange’s eager glance at the stairs.

“Fine fine, you old grump.” Hange plops down onto the chair, eyes gleaming behind her glasses, a manic grin on her lips. “So, I’m waiting for that story, Levi.” Levi sighs, and with a roll of his eyes he recounts every detail of his encounter with Eren, Hange listening closely and attentively. One thing Levi could accredit to Hange, is despite her madness and her unpredictability, her intellect regarding all supernatural species and phenomenon are superior to none. Levi hopes that Hange could at least tell him what Eren was, since the wolf had told him that Eren wasn’t human. Levi could determine that the child certainly wasn’t a vampire child – vampire children are a taboo, since vampires couldn’t conceive. The only way a vampire child could exist is by biting a child, which is amongst the topmost prohibited laws in vampire decree.

“Hmm. Well I need to see the child before I could determine what he is, but there are high chances that the child could be a were, Levi. After all, a were discovered him before you did, and the were apparently knew enough about the child’s origins to know his name.” Hange gives him a sly smile. “Would you be able to raise a were child, Levi? Vampires and weres are cordial to each other at best, but given both species’ similarities, vampires and weres clash more often than not. If the child really is a were, it would be best to hand him over to a wolf pack to be raised.”

Levi stiffens. As though he’ll let Eren be taken away from him, much less hand him over to a wolf pack. He notices Hange’s wide grin and he snarls at her slightly, displaying his fangs. “Fuck that. I’m not letting Eren out of my sight. Even if he is a were, I give no fucks. _I_ found Eren, he’s _mine_.”

Hange throws back her head and laughs. “Getting possessive now are you? Now I’m more interested than ever to see the child who made your hackles rise so much just at the mention of handing him over to his own species to be raised.”

Levi rolls his eyes, pushing himself off the counter. “We haven’t determined if he’s a were yet. Even if he is, I’ll raise him myself. A kid’s a kid. They grow up the same more or less.”

Hange grins so wide it’s a wonder her cheeks didn’t tear. “Now _this_ is something we need to tell the gang. _Levi_ , raising a _baby_. Oh, never in all the centuries I’ve lived have I expected this!”

Levi rolls his eyes, but before he could retort, his keen vampire hearing detects a sniffle and some rustling from his bedroom. It appears that Eren had awoken. Levi spares a glance at Hange, whose head is tilted in the same direction as Levi, listening keenly with a wide grin. Levi huffs and disappears on the spot, unwilling to let Hange get so much as a peek at Eren before he is there. He reappears at the closed door to his bedroom and he gently pushes it open, only to be greeted by a rumple-haired Eren, whose glistening, moist-filled eyes are fixed on him the moment he opens the door.

“Eren? What’s the matter?” Levi is by his side in seconds, peeling back the blankets and carefully lifting the sniffling toddler into his lap. Eren immediately latches onto him, tiny fingers curling into his shirt in a death grip, face half-turned to Levi. Levi rubs his hand up and down Eren’s back in gentle, soothing circles, hoping to comfort the obviously upset toddler. “Did you have a bad dream, Eren?” he asks quietly, watching the beautiful infant in his lap, concerned.

Eren just sniffles and snuggles closer towards Levi. He seemed a little peeved in Levi’s point of view, and he observes the toddler, slightly baffled. Then it clicks together in his brain and he mentally kicks himself. Eren must have been scared when he woke up alone without Levi and thought he had been left behind. The trauma of being abandoned in the snow must still haunt the small child and Levi feels instant regret hitting him in waves. He hadn’t meant to leave the small child alone.

“I’m sorry, Eren, I won’t do it again, okay? I’ll be here every time you wake up,” Levi murmurs in Eren’s ear, and Eren sniffles, eyes still slightly moist. He still seems a bit upset, and Levi rocks him in his arms, barely restraining a snarl when he hears footsteps approach the pair on the bed. He didn’t want to scare Eren. Eren apparently notices the extra presence too – his eyes watch Hange curiously, but he doesn’t cry or kick up a fuss as Levi expected he would. Levi can barely hide a smile. Really, Eren defies all of his expectations.

“Oh my _God_ , Levi, he’s so _cute_!” Hange squeals, eyes gleaming as she stares at Eren delightedly. “You lucky bastard, you get to pick up this beautiful little angel! Ooh, his eyes are so beautiful,” she enthuses as she notices Eren’s moistened, golden irises. Eren seems a little apprehensive of her, as his tiny grip on Levi’s shirt tightens a bit, but he remained still and quiet even as Hange approaches them, a hint of tentative curiosity in his eyes as he stares at Hange.

“Eren, this is my friend, Hange.” Levi fixes Eren’s bedhead, smiling a little at how cute and disoriented the toddler is at the moment. “She’s here to help us, so be a good boy, okay?”

“Ung.” Levi smiles – that indecipherable baby sound is like an affirmative to his question and he pats Eren on the head affectionately.

“Eren, I’m Hange.” Hange squats on the floor before them so she is at eye level with Eren, who stares back at her. She smiles at him, holding out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you Eren! I hope we can be good friends!” Eren’s eyes fall onto Hange’s hand, and after a moment of hesitancy, he reaches out and grabs Hange’s finger, curiosity bright and alive in his gilded irises. Hange squeals and Levi snorts.

“I think Eren thinks that you are some sort of alien, four eyes,” he muses. Hange slaps him on the knee.

“Don’t be so rude, Levi! Eren and I are bonding right now, aren’t we Eren?” she coos at the toddler, who looks at her incomprehensibly, then giggles happily. Hange looks like she’s about ready to gobble up the adorable little child right then and there, so Levi decides to stand up before she actually does, cradling Eren against his hip.

“So, how do we determine what he is, sh – four eyes?” he rephrases, not wanting to use crude language around Eren in fear that the toddler might pick it up. Hange grins as she gets up, dusting off her pants.

“Well, I’m going to need a bit of his blood to see, so I might have to prick him with a needle,” she says apologetically. Levi doesn’t really favour the idea of sticking a needle into Eren either, but they have no other choice, and they couldn’t leave the question of Eren’s species aside any longer.

“Alright. But just a little, okay?” He glares at her as they leave the bedroom. Hange cackles, the sound garnering Eren’s interest, who stares at Hange over Levi’s shoulder in fascination.

“Don’t worry, Levi, have a little faith in me! Just a tiny drop will do. Can’t have two vampires starving over his delectable blood now can we?” she grins at him as they enter the kitchen. Hange makes a beeline towards one of the bags on the table, retrieving a cotton ball and a small needle. “It’s probably going to hurt a bit for him, Levi, so I’m going to need you to hold him still while I retrieve his blood.”

Levi nods, and as Hange sterilizes the needle, Levi turns to Eren, who is looking at the pile of bags on the table curiously. He seems distracted a bit, but Levi decides that he shouldn’t leave Eren oblivious to what is going on – he doesn’t want to just stick a needle in Eren’s arm whilst the toddler is unaware. Eren might cry or worse still lose what little trust he has in Levi. Although Levi isn’t sure whether Eren would understand him or not, regardless he still urges the little child to look at him, Eren abiding readily, always happy to have an excuse to look at Levi.

“Eren, Hange’s going to put a needle in your arm to retrieve some of your blood so we can tell what supernatural species you are,” he says quietly, Eren’s wide, golden bronze eyes watching him attentively. “She’s going to prick it here –“ Levi touches a spot on Eren’s arm, Eren giggling happily at the touch. “And it’s going to hurt a bit. But it’ll be really quick okay? I want you to keep still whilst she puts the needle in, I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” Levi kisses Eren’s cheek briefly, the kiss making the small child squeal delightedly, a little flush on his cheeks. Eren’s hands reach up to touch Levi’s face and Levi smiles. “So be a good boy for me, okay, Eren?”

“Ung!” Eren declares happily, and Levi smiles, his cheeks squished between Eren’s hands.

“As adorable as this is and as much as I hate to break it up, everything’s ready,” Hange says behind them, amused. It’s rare for her to see Levi smile, and she has seen him smile a lot in a span of few minutes, all because of Eren. _He’s really special, huh,_ she muses as she saunters over towards the pair.

“Okay, Eren, I’m going to put this needle here okay?” Hange gently takes Eren’s arm, swabbing the spot on his forearm with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball. Eren is docile in Levi’s arms, he hasn’t fussed yet but Levi can see the mounting apprehension in those beautiful eyes and he coos at Eren, hoping to distract him from the scary needle that’s making its way into his arm. “You’re going to feel a little prick, okay Eren? I’ll be as quick as possible, so stay still for me alright?” Hange is still speaking when she inserts the needle into Eren’s arm, and Eren jerks a little and tears up, but otherwise stays completely still in Levi’s arms; Levi not giving him any chance to move as Hange withdraws a tiny amount of blood before extracting the needle quickly, smiling brightly at Eren. “You did a really good job, Eren! You’re such a well-behaved boy,” she enthuses, picking up a band-aid and pressing it onto the spot where she drew blood.

“Ung?” Eren blinks up a little tearfully up at Levi, who smiles down at him.

“Yes, Eren, you did a good job of staying still, you’re so brave,” he praises, burying his face into Eren’s hair, smiling as the toddler giggles. _Really_ , Eren is too precious and loveable for him to resist.

“Well I never!” Hange’s exclamation jolts Levi out of his bubble, and he glances over at the woman, who is peering into the blood sample in the test tube she had transferred into with wild fascination. “I _never_ expected this, not in a million years!”

“What is it, four eyes?” Levi is a little apprehensive as he approaches her. “Do you know what supernatural species he is now?”

Hange whirls around, a bright gleam in her eyes. “Levi! I can’t believe this! There hasn’t been one of these in at least a few centuries since they were wiped out in ’08! They were declared extinct!”

Levi feels a deep suspicion surface from within. “You don’t mean to say that Eren is …”

“Yes! Eren’s a _kitsune_!”

*

In all honesty, especially amongst the supernatural species, _kitsune_ s or fox spirits shouldn’t be such a rarity that even the idea of having one in his house seems preposterous. _Kitsune_ belongs to the Japanese _yokai_ , and generally are a revered species, even amongst the other supernatural beings. They hold a status that’s close to the gods, as _kitsunes_ are often seen as messengers from the gods or deities. A benevolent, celestial race that are believed to possess superior intelligence, immortality and magical abilities that serve for the old kings and queens before they perished in 1408, due to a war amongst the supernatural race which ultimately led to the _kitsunes_ ’ believed extinction, as they are the oldest, most revered clan who served for the gods and the royal families; making them a prime target for execution. However, no matter how old the _kitsune_ clan are, not much could be gained from them as they are often veiled with mystery and accompanied with the whispers of misfortune or curses. Levi himself has never seen a _kitsune_ or a fox spirit before his eyes, only glimpsed pictures of them in those huge, dusty old books Hange has in her possession or seen portraits of them in castles and museums. He had heard of them before of course, tales of their heroism and altruism, and also tales that speak of a select few of _kitsune_ who possessed powers that could even rival a god’s – abilities to bend time or space, to creating illusions so elaborate it is almost indistinguishable from reality to controlling the earth’s elements at will.

Yet, there are darker accounts regarding _kitsunes_ – how they used their ability to manifest themselves in other’s dreams to bend and control the minds of old kings and queens to their will, taking command of their will from there. Other fox spirits possess similar characteristics as vampires and feed on the lives or souls of other human beings to gain more spiritual power. There are still hushed stories of a _kitsune_ who managed to possess a king which led to what the humans dub as World War II.

However, looking down at Eren in his lap, who is making happy baby noises whilst making grabby hands at Hange, who is cooing at the infant and letting Eren grab at her glasses; Levi honestly cannot believe that he is currently holding a child of an extinct race in his arms. Moreover that this child is an apparent descendant of a revered, magical clan that hold direct status as a god… Levi massages his temples, feeling a headache coming.

_What could this mean? How could a kitsune child be abandoned in a forest? How could there even be a fox child if the entire race is believed to be extinct for how many centuries now?_

A small, plump hand patting his cheek is what distracts Levi from his thoughts – he looks down at Eren, who is looking up at him, beautiful gold eyes gazing at him with blatant worry. His other hand is still clutching Hange’s glasses, but Eren’s full attention is on him now, and Levi’s expression can’t help but soften as he pats Eren’s hair.

“It’s nothing, Eren,” he assures, smiling when Eren offers him Hange’s glasses in an apparent effort to cheer him up. “I think breaking these will certainly cheer me up, right?”

“How mean of you, Levi,” Hange pouts from where she is squatting down on the floor by the chair where Levi and Eren are seated. Eren shrieks in delight when Hange tickles his side, making the two adult vampires smile. “How am I supposed to see properly without my glasses?”

Levi rolls his eyes. “We all know you only wear them to hide your red eyes, shi – Hange. There’s nothing wrong with your eyesight.”

Hange hums, grinning at Eren as she coos at him adoringly. “I don’t know Levi, those glasses are starting to grow on me.” She glanced at him, tearing her eyes away from Eren. “So, I think I have a few books in my possession that could tell you all you need to know about _kitsunes_ , but for now, I think it’s safe to say that you can raise Eren as a normal child.” She gets up from the floor, going over the bags on the table. “I brought you enough supply of baby food and some clothes, and since Eren can’t walk properly yet, Levi, you might have to consider baby-proofing your home.”

Levi frowns as he bounces a happy, gurgling Eren on his knee. “Baby-proofing?”

“Yes, like tape the sharp corners of table-ends and shortening your curtain rails so Eren won’t accidentally strangle himself on them. There’s also the issue of the stairs – if you don’t place a baby gate there, there’s a chance that Eren will fall down the stairs and hurt himself, and I really don’t think you want that to happen, do you?” Hange’s eyes twinkle at him and Levi rolls his eyes.

“I’ll see what I can do.” Levi is pretty new to all this stuff, and he figures that if baby-proofing his home can ensure Eren’s safety, he’ll do it without second thought. Levi needs to call Petra soon – he needs a few tips of raising kids from her and all the other knowledge that is essential in raising a relatively normal – albeit unusual in the species – child. He bounces a happy, gurgling Eren on his lap, deep in thought even as the toddler bonks his chin several times. “How fast do _kitsune_ children mature?”

Hange pauses in her unpacking of the bags, thinking for a minute. “A _kitsune_ child ages three times faster than a normal human child, and given their race, their brain develops far more quickly and I estimate that even in just a few months Levi, Eren is quite capable of speaking and walking. Their species does boast superior intelligence – I daresay if you were to teach Eren his letters, he would be able to learn it within a few months, give or take. He will be considered a matured _kitsune_ by the time he’s twelve, and he might even sprout a tail when he reaches full maturity.”

Levi frowns thoughtfully. “Just one tail? I thought they could have nine?”

“Ah, that usually depends on the _kitsune_ child. To possess nine tails immediately once they mature is unheard of – even the oldest fox lived around a hundred years before it could possess nine tails. The number of tails a kitsune possesses usually indicates the kitsune’s status – the more tails it possesses, the greater and rarer the powers it has. In the records that I managed to salvage about them, there are only fourteen accounts of _kitsune_ who possessed nine tails until their supposed extinction. And twelve out of fourteen served various generations of royal families across the world.” Hange adjusted her glasses, looking at Levi then Eren, who is now standing on unsteady legs on Levi’s lap, Levi firmly holding onto him under his armpits. “I’ll look for all written accounts on fox spirits and deliver them to you as soon as I can – there might be information in there about _kitsune_ children. It might help you on raising Eren, although they’re pretty much human until they start shifting.”

Shifting. Levi frowns slightly, remembering that _kitsune_ possess the rare ability to shapeshift into any perceived human or animal form, making them even more rarer and sought after amongst their kind. Will Eren be hunted down for his abilities? Once others learn about the existence of possibly the _only_ living progeny of a supposed extinct race that was once such a regal and benevolent race that served alongside kings and queens and possessed powers almost equal to a god’s, will there be a manhunt for the tiny, beautiful and innocent little child that’s currently gurgling and laughing so happily in Levi’s arms right now?

He didn’t even realize that his fangs had protruded until he felt them pierce the plump flesh of his bottom lip, and that Eren is staring at them with fascinated curiosity, tiny hands trying to reach in order to touch them. His fangs had emerged at the thought of the threat to Eren, _his_ Eren and it took him a few moments to calm his seething instincts to eliminate the threat before his nails extended and pierced Eren’s flesh since Levi is still tightly holding onto the toddler. When Levi had gotten himself under control, he noticed Hange looking at him with what could only translate as a shit-eating grin and he rolled his eyes.

“Get out of my house,” he grumbles, manoeuvring Eren to sit on his lap, tiny, warm body leaning against his and Levi can feel his once rigid, coiled muscles poised to attack loosen and relax, expression softening when Eren catches one of his fingers, tiny hand not even able to wrap entirely around his forefinger and Levi had to chuckle at the disgruntled expression on Eren’s face. _Cute._

Hange is snapping a few pictures of them on her phone, and not even Levi’s murderous scowl deterred her from snapping a few more, cooing to get Eren’s attention so the toddler can look at the camera. “Erwin’s going to get a heart attack if he sees this,” she crows as she puts her phone away, cackling when Levi groans.

“Fucking four eyes. Get out of my property before I shove my foot up your ass so hard you’ll feel it in your tonsils.” Levi’s threat is half-hearted and even Hange knows it and her grin is about to split her cheeks – it’s only been a while since Levi found Eren and already the old grump is turning into a huge softie! She cackles and dodges the baby bottle Levi threw at her, catching it before it hit the floor.

“I’ll give Petra a call and give her a rundown of what’s going on,” Hange said, stooping down to tickle Eren’s sides, smiling when the toddler laughs happily and tries to grab at her glasses. “She might give you a call or stop by, she’ll be an even bigger help when it comes to the raising kids department. I’ll just pop by my place and look for those books and have Moblit deliver them to you.”

“Thanks, Hange.” There’s honest gratitude in Levi’s voice, and Hange grins up at him, patting Levi’s knee before getting up. “Don’t mention it, Levi. I’m just dying of envy that you have a _kitsune_ child in your house, and an adorable one to boot. Call me if there’s anything!”

She leaves as suddenly as she arrived, and Levi shakes his head, looking down at Eren who is bouncing slightly on his lap. “Well then, squirt, let’s see what Hange got for you, hmm?” he says, smiling when Eren shrieks in delight. He buries his face in Eren’s soft hair and plants a kiss on his scalp. “Let’s hope that she got you some proper clothes at least until we can go outside and buy some for you,” he murmurs, slightly apprehensive since Hange has quite a weird taste not just in clothes but generally everything in life. Eren moves slightly in Levi’s lap and Levi pulls back, only to be assaulted by those beautiful gilded irises. Eren thumps his small hands against Levi’s chest, beautiful eyes shining with life and love and Levi swallows a lump in his throat and feels his heart melt – Eren, Eren is just too _precious_ ; fuck if he’s letting anyone or anything take this precious child away from him, _kitsune_ or not.

Eren is his, and his only.

Eren’s questioning baby noises is what distracts him from his thoughts, and Levi smiles at the toddler and lifts the shrieking, delighted baby into the air. “You’re stuck with me, squirt,” he says firmly; Eren squealing and kicking his tiny legs excitedly in the air, tiny hands barely holding onto Levi’s arms. “We won’t let anyone separate us, isn’t that right?”

Eren’s answering _Ung!_ is enough to make Levi smile – he’ll be damned if he lets his precious little sunshine get taken away from him, and he’ll fight tooth or nail if it means Eren’s safety. For now, he decides as he lowers Eren and carries him in his arms, he should see what Hange brought for Eren and plan a shopping trip in the near future before his home gets invaded by his nosy as fuck friends as soon as Hange sends out those stupid pictures she took of them and spread the word that Levi now has a precious, adorable little _kitsune_ child in his possession.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will see the entire gang invading Levi's home as Levi had feared, and you're in for a lot of adorable, heart-clenching moments. Happy New Year in advance and I hope you guys have a great 2016! ٩(◕‿◕)۶


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